afterwhile

a1811 in 1888 Hist. Soc. DEPapers 8.14 (as of 1776), I sat in a box alone; but afterwhile Capt. Fortner came to peep in, and seeing an officer in the Coffee house, took me to be a British officer. 1847Cambridge Reveille (Cambridge City IN) 29 Dec [10]/3 (newspaperarchive.com), Now let us wear an honest smile / And do the best we “kin:”—/ If things grow worser afterwhile / We’ll only try to grin.1858Goshen Democrat (IN) 3 Mar 1/5 (as of 1831), A young man . . came into the office and remarked, that afterwhile he wanted “to get a piece in the news,” and would pay for it in maple sugar. 1859Adams Sentinel (Gettysburg PA) 30 May [2]/4 (newspaperarchive.com), The people will find out afterwhile what kind of an Administration the present Democratic one has been. 1876Arthur’s Illustr. Home Mag. 44.231 OH, He almost felt that the brand was upon his forehead, to be read of all men. But afterwhile he met friends who could love, and admire, and appreciate him. 1894Century Illustr. Mag. 48.640 eKY, That collar-button it ’d burn right into my neck, and after while it never quit burnin’ at all. 1913 (1999) JordanWhere Wild Animals 131 swAL, You can hear the Dogs barking every direction and way after while you can hear A gun fire. Ibid136 swAL, Well after while Papa come back and we started for home. 1926DN 5.392, After while (without a), “Not after while.”—advertisement in Lawrence (Kansas) Journal–World. 1926 RobertsTime of Man 378 cKY, Afterwhile I’ll send for you-all if you’re of a mind to come where I am. 1935 HurstonMules & Men 128 FL [Black], Well, ’way after while somebody kilt him. c1960Wilson Coll.csKY, After while. . . After a while, in a little while. Very old people said |ˈætɚ|. 1966–69DARE (Qu. A13, When something needs to be done immediately, . . “I’ll do it _____!”) Inf OH63, Afterwhile, pretty soon; OK25, Directly, afterwhile; NC70, Not afterwhile. Now! 1967 GreenHorse Tradin’ 38 MS, I think her mother wants her in heah aftah while for something. 1972Star–News (Pasadena CA) [29 Apr 13]/5, [Letter:] The fights over bonds and busing were so exhausting, I thought I just couldn’t stand up under any more dissension. Afterwhile, I’d get back on my feet and prepare myself and my family for the next round. 1975 Newell If Nothin’ Don’t Happen 33 nwFL, Me and Tarley went on out to the oyster bars and loaded up the skiff. . . After while Tarley said . . [etc]. 2005Sun (Lowell MA) 28 Feb 7/4, “You get used to it [=August heat] afterwhile, but at first it was like a punch in the face,” he said. “You drink a ton of water.”